Karl Lagerfeld, creative director of the Parisian fashion house Coco Chanel, knows how to cause a stir when he puts on a show. At the beginning of the year the daring German designer brought together haute couture and street fashion when he transformed Paris’s Royal Palais into a supermarket and had his models – supposedly symbolizing the average woman on the street - wearing trainers and sauntering down the shopping aisles.
Recently Lagerfeld has gone further by seemingly taking inspiration from the Tour de France and draping his show in cycling inspired attire and accoutrements. His models slinked down the catwalk – displaying, as per usual, the classic sultry French pout and classic je ne sais quoi of the French stereotype – wearing cycling caps studded with crystal and shorts laced in pearls.
Indeed pearls were almost as much of a motif in the Chanel show as la vélo. Almost all the models were peppered in pearls to some extent, whether they were dangling around their necks, hanging from their ears, or embedded in brooches and can-grooved cuffs.
Pearls in Vogue
Far from being merely the accessory of choice for grannies and the Sloane Square set, pearls are undoubtedly back in vogue this season. There have been other shows such as that of Simone Rocha’s new collection that have been as equally decked as Lagerfeld’s with the shimmering stones. These pearls came in all shapes and sizes, decorating collars and sequenced into garments and handbags. Rocha – who has been known in the past to take inspiration from both her Chinese and Irish grandmothers – also implanted the little rocks into knee-high stocking and had them carving out slashes across her drop-wasted skirts.
Want the look? You can get a pearl bracelet with gold initial letter from Anna Lou of London or real pearl earrings and necklaces from Mesenso.
Pair Your Pearls Perfectly
It cannot be emphasized enough that your accessories should match your style, and of course the right style for the right occasion. Pearls are a soft, delicate stone that can be paired with spring pastels as well as an elegant black dinner dress in the wintertime. The accessories for the right debut - who better to epitomise this than Adele? She inspired this post we published earlier about accessory style for plus size women. Whether it’s a large, bold statement or many smaller bracelets in a jumble on one wrist, the effect is still a powerful assertion of class, style and power that every fashion diva wants to make.

As you might remember, we sent Emily of Emily Divine an engraved heart bracelet which she styled in her story ‘Red stripes and Daisy print’, well Emily’s back, and back with her is her famous heart bracelet!
This time, Emily’s out and about in a 60s style outfit and as ever, she’s looking stunning.
Read Emily’s style tips below…
You Can Never be Overdressed
By Emily Divine
‘Someone once told me that you can never be overdressed. I think they were right.’

‘If I let you in to a little wardrobe secret, it's that I don't really own many 'casual' clothes.’

‘In my books, it's all about how you wear it. Take this cute shift dress for example. Technically it should be occasionwear by nature, but styled with some bright shoes and some white cat-eye sunglasses, you've got a perfect sixties look’

To see the full post and others by Emily, see the full feature here.
All images courtesy of Emily Divine.
To get Emily’s engraved heart bracelet, click here.
by Daisy Searle

At Anna Lou we love everything pretty and sparkly. We’ve been having a look back at some of the fabulous and fancy celebrity engagement rings that have cropped up over the years and have narrowed them down to our top 10.
Millie Mackintosh and Professor Green
Professor Green designed his fiancés ring which was made by Frost of London with 3-carats of diamonds with an estimated cost of £10,600.

Kate Moss and Jamie Hince
Jamie Hince searched high and low for the engagement ring that belonged to Zelda, the wife of Kate Moss’s favourite author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, he went to Bond Street and purchased a vintage 1920s ring that was near identical to the real deal, with an estimated value of £50,000.

Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake went for an impressive 6-carat diamond ring to pop the question to Jessica Biel in 2011. The ring has an estimated value of £80,000.

Kate Middleton and Prince William
Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother’s ring. The ring is perhaps the most famous engagement ring in the world, with an estimated value of £80,000.

Heidi Klum and Seal
Heidi Klum opted for a bit of colour in her diamond, going for a 10-carat cushion-cut yellow diamond. Although her and husband Seal have now divorced, the model has been spotted still wearing her stunning ring with an estimated value of £90,000.

Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman
Anne Hataway’s ring was a collaboration between Adam Shulman and Kwiar Heritage Jewels with an estimated value of £90,000.

Victoria and David Beckham
Victoria Beckham’s ring was designed exclusively by Asprey & Garrad with an estimated value of £150,000.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt designed Angela Jolie’s sparkler in a collaboration with her long-term jeweller Robert Procop with an estimated value of £600,000.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Kim’s ring from Kanye is an enormous 15-carat number by Lorraine Schwartz, with an estimated value of £750,000

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon
Nick Cannon worked with Jacob & Co before coming up with this 17-carat slightly pink stunner with an estimated value of £1.5m.

Beyonce and Jay-Z
Jay- Z did’t just put any old ring on it, he proposed to Beyonce with a huge 18-carat diamond by Lorraine Schwartz with an estimated value of £3m.

We love blogging and bloggers and this week we’re especially loving Becca of Fashion-Train and her blog post about The Interview Outfit featuring Anna Lou of London jewellery.
Working in fashion, it can often be difficult to meet the balance between being appropriately smart with demonstrating your eye for style and your ability to show it. In some offices, trainers and a sweatshirt are the norm with anything more being a bit showy, whereas in others, heels are an absolute must so upon first arrival, your outfit needs to be acceptable across a range of offices.
Becca helps us on our way with this tricky dilemma in ‘The Interview Outfit – Gingham Dress and Leather Jacket’, making sure that no matter what your ultimate working wardbrobe may be, that you’re prepared for the initial meeting.
This was what Becca had to say;
‘Since working in an office I've become more interested in 'workwear' clothes and staying stylish whilst at work. It's different working in retail as you can wear pretty much whatever you feel comfortable in but staying smart and stylish is a little bit more difficult! This outfit is the sort of outfit I'd wear to an interview/typical day at work.’

‘I've paired this dress with one of my favourite necklaces from Anna Lou of London! It's bright neon which I really like and it means it brightens up pretty much ANY outfit and adds a little bit more personality into an outfit.’

‘A shift dress like this is more of a day-time dress but can easily be worn out at night too with a pair of bright heels and a bright clutch bag!’

Thanks to Becca for making Anna Lou’s necklace part of her Interview Outfit. To read her full blog post, click here.
All images are courtesy of Becca Hermitt
To shop Anna Lou of London necklaces, click here.
By Daisy Searle

This spring everyone’s talking about ‘Barely There’, the trend of mixing and matching daintier pieces as opposed to going for one bold piece. Statement jewellery has definitely had its time but now is not it. We have a look at how to wear barely there jewellery Anna Lou style!
This is great news for people who feel a bit over done in a big cuff or a chunky pair of earrings. You can start small, and gain momentum, layering up gradually whilst maintaining a delicate and feminine look.
Rules about which metals can be put together have totally gone out the window! It’s ok to mix gold and silver and even throw in a rose gold or two! Mix up styles too, going for thick or thinly banded rings, worn on different fingers and at different points on the fingers, welcome studs, knots, twists and twirls! Combining colours and styles will add to the overall because layering isn’t about one item, it’s about an overall look.

Think thin chains, studs, stacking delicate rings up and an array of feminine bracelets, and don’t forget - wear as many as you want and be creative!
Shop barely there at Anna Lou of London.
By Daisy Searle

With your wedding day on the horizon you'll perhaps be a little bit pre occupied and forget what happens after the big day! Make sure you maintain style on your honeymoon with our Spring Summer Honeymoon Essentials.
Passport Case
Travellers need their passport and therefore, every traveler has the opportunity to jazz theirs up and turn it into a style accessory! Right now, we’re loving what Getting Personal has to offer with their World Map Passport cover, available here.

Pastel Bangles
Pastel is a colour that never goes out of season. It can lift winter outfits, and add to summer ones. At Anna Lou, we’re all wearing pastel shades of Chevron Bangles. They’re easy to mix and match and style differently depending on your outfit making them definite Honeymoon accessories every girl needs.

Fabulous Footwear

When you’re on a summer holiday, you have the difficult decision to make about footwear. Flips flops are very practical for the beach but not always the most stylish of choices. Especially on your Honeymoon, you want a pair of shoes that you can wear on the beach but that also look fabulous! We’re loving these from New Look, available here.

Floral Phone case
We all know how catastrophic it is to drop an unprotected Iphone! This season, protect yours with a floral twist. We love this case by Cath Kidston, which not only gives you peace of mind but also a gorgeous spring accessory available here. Don't forget to take plenty of holiday snaps to show off about upon your return!

Personalised Necklace
Having successfully shed winter and with it the trusty scarf, we’re now looking for décor in a slightly more delicate and feminine style, perhaps even in the style of Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw? Why not go for a piece that you know no one else will have with one of Anna Lou’s bespoke necklaces, adding delicate class to any outfit.

Sunglasses

With lazy sunny afternoons on the horizon, we’ve found ourselves the perfect pair of summer specs. Ray-ban offers a range of styles but we love the Wayfarers as a timeless classic, which go perfectly with any spring style available here.

Stacking Ring
The stacking ring is an easy way of layering without even having to try! We love it as a relaxed and simple piece to wear adding natural style to any outfit.

Sleeveless Dress

If you’re getting away from England to go somewhere hot it’s time to ditch the sleeves! Missguided’s strappy floral number is the perfect summer dress, which goes beautifully with a statement necklace available here.

Brightwell Bookbag
Every girl needs her bag for the beach. We really love Jack Wills’ Union Jack tote bag for its ease of use and simplicity and of course it’s subtle tribute to Great Britain available here.

Pearl Bracelet

It’s the graceful slightly pink glow that makes us fall in love with pearls time and time again and this season is no different. Pearls will fit perfectly with your spring and summer wardrobe, adding a little shimmer to any outfit. Why not opt for our heart pearl bracelet to complete your Honeymoon look.

As you may have heard us mention a few times, Mother’s day is very fast approaching. For those who haven’t quite got around to it yet (eek pull your finger out), now is the time to turn your mind to one of the women you love the most. This year, instead of the half wilted flowers and slightly rubbish card, why not go for something a little bit special with the ultimate DIY Mother's Day Hamper. This is something you could even do with your own little ones on a rainy afternoon with little else for entertainment.
The Photo Album
We all know how much Mum’s love to wander back down memory lane with the aid of a sentimental photo album. Find or buy a notebook and get creative! You can cover with sequins, make glitter hearts or even get funky with some florescent paint! Pull together some silly photos of you both from years gone by, and with a little bit of prit stick, some page decor and some cheeky annotations, you have yourself a cheap yet charming home made photo album.
The Biscuits
Because which Mummy doesn’t have a sweet tooth? Baking a batch of biscuits is a lovely and simple task that will leave your house smelling gorgeous and will be a lovely home-made treat to accompany Mummy’s afternoon cuppa! Wait for them to cool before putting into a clear cellophane bag and finishing with a ribbon. Here’s a recipe for some exceptionally scrummy custard and white chocolate biscuits!
The Necklace that Says it all
Although time’s run out to order a bespoke piece, there’s still just about time to really show her you love her with one of Anna Lou’s ‘Love you’ pieces. This necklace is one of our favourites.The Decoration
Cover an old shoe box in wrapping paper (you knew you’d use it one day!), plump up with some tissue paper and fill with your goodies!
The perfect Mother’s Day Hamper from the perfect daughter!

We're loving an all gold jewellery look at the moment and it seems one of our blogger ambassadors, Anneli of the blog What I Bought Today is in agreement.
We asked her to style up one of our most popular necklace designs, the love necklace, and along with some of our gold stacking rings she's put together a great easy weekend look.
She's made double denim look pretty damn stylish and the gold tones of her jewellery compliment the subtle shades of her outfit perfectly. Read more about Anneli's styling tips below...
The Love Necklace by What I Bought Today"I am so into gold at the moment; layered, dainty, statement and unique styles are my current favourites and I love anything personalised."
"I was so pleased to be asked to be one of the blogger brand ambassadors for Anna Lou of London! So much of the range is right up my street, and fits perfectly in together with my existing jewellery. I chose the dainty ‘Love' chain, which looks great together with other gold pieces on my wrists and hands, to complement the overall look"
"I also adore the more chunkier gold trio ring, which I layered together with two simple gold rings. It’s all about adding your own touches to your jewellery."
"I'll be wearing my Anna Lou of London pieces stacked, layered or on their own - simple pieces go with everything."
We're also pretty pleased to have Anneli on board as a brand ambassador. To see the full post and get more tips on how to style this outfit, check out her feature here.
All images courtesy of What I Bought Today. Thank you to Anneli for the short interview.

This time of year can sometimes be the most difficult to dress for. It's not quite warm enough to thrown on a summer dress and lose the coat, yet with the sun shining down on us we want to feel suitably Spring- like.
So as always we're looking to our favourite celebs for some spring outfit inspiration on what to wear during this transitional period. These are some of our favourite ways to look Spring ready without being caught out should the heavens open.
Add some florals a la Gisele Bundchen
Ditch those black and grey skinny jeans and embrace a floral trouser or pastel print denim. Being a trouser you don't need to brave bare legs just yet, yet you give a nod towards summer trends.
Inject a pop of colour a la Reese Witherspoon
No need to move away from the monochrome colours completely but by adding an electric hue you can turn your everyday office look into the perfect transitional outfit.
Go sheer a la Allison Williams
Nothing says Spring ready better than a smart but sexy sheer white shirt. It's the perfect transitional piece as it works for day and for evening, throw on a pair of courts with your smart trousers and you are ready for cocktails after work.
Dress up your denim a la Karolina Kurkova
It's the oldest trick in the book but denim is your best friend during the season change. A pair of distressed boyfriend jeans will look great with flats and a comfy sweater at the weekend and equally as good with heels and a blazer for week day meetings. Layer a warmer coat over the top of your blazer for added warmth.
What's your go to style during this transitional period? Let us know your thoughts by tweeting us @annalouoflondon or following us on Facebook.

Time for another Choose it, Style it, shoot it and this week we're talking to blogger ambassador Catherine from the style blog, Not Dressed as Lamb about how to wear dressy earrings for day.
Rose Gold Teardrop Earrings by Not Dressed as LambWe love how Catherine has taken quite a dressy, sophisticated earring and turned it into the perfect day wear piece with pastel hued clothing and statement pieces.
The rose gold of the earrings works perfectly with the blush pinks and whites of her outfit while the burgundy shoes pull the whole look together.
"I chose the rose gold teardrop stud earrings because they're subtly glamorous - very pretty but quite fierce at the same time. I'm really loving rose gold over standard gold at the moment so it was nice to have the different colour options."
"I wore them with winter white and blush pink - one of my favourite colour combinations this winter. I liked the contrast of the soft chunky knit of my scarf against the sparkle of the earrings; scarves always hide necklaces in winter so I like to wear fabulous earrings instead."
"They'll look great with my hair up come Summer, which I'll be more likely to do once it's a bit warmer. I'm always partial to yellow dresses for the summer (I have three), so they'll be a lovely piece to wear with sunshine yellow - and white too. I like the idea of an all-white outfit with rose-gold jewellery: very chic and simple - let the accessories do the talking, I say!"
Sounds great to us! To check out the full post and see more about Catherine's outfit, take a look at her Blush pink post here and stay tuned for another Choose it, Style it, Shoot it next week!
All Photos courtesy of Not Dressed as Lamb and thank you to Catherine for the interview.